United States Attorneys' Office
District of Minnesota

PRESS RELEASE. Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Contact:   Rachel K. Paulose, United States Attorney 
Jeanne F. Cooney, Director of External Relations

Media Line:  1-888-264-5107

Minneapolis  -  Former Minneapolis City Council member Gary Dean Zimmermann was sentenced today in United States District Court for accepting illegal gratuities in connection with his official duties. Zimmermann was sentenced to thirty months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery.  Zimmermann had been convicted by a jury in August of 2006 on three counts of accepting cash from a developer who had business before the city.

At sentencing, Judge Montgomery noted that the claims of an unfair investigation and prosecution of Zimmerman, as made by his supporters in letters to the Court, were contradicted by the evidence presented at trial.  After the sentencing, United States Attorney Rachel K. Paulose stated, “Public corruption threatens the very foundation of a government built on the trust of its citizens.  This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize the prosecution of corrupt government officials.”

Evidence during trial proved that over a three-month period during the summer of 2005, Zimmermann took $7,200 in cash from developer Gary Carlson in exchange for a  promise to assist with re-zoning issues relative to two of Carlson’s development projects.  One project was Chicago Commons, a condominium and retail complex located just outside Zimmermann’s Minneapolis ward.  The second project was a proposed retail mall for members of the Minneapolis Somali-American community.

According to evidence presented at trial, Zimmermann met with Carlson on June 6, 2005, at the Black Forest Inn restaurant in Minneapolis.  At that meeting, Carlson explained his re-zoning issues regarding the Chicago Commons project.  He then asked Zimmermann, “What can I do to

help you?”  Zimmermann replied, “Money, money, money.”  Eight days later Zimmermann and Carlson met at the Baja Riverside Restaurant in Minneapolis.  There, Zimmermann was videotaped accepting an envelope from Carlson.  That envelope contained $5,000 in cash.  Trial evidence indicated that the money was provided in exchange for Zimmermann’s assistance on the Chicago Commons zoning matters.  On July 22, 2005, however, the Minneapolis City Council voted against the zoning proposal that favored Chicago Commons.  After the vote, Zimmermann explained to Carlson that he had tried to rally support from other council members but failed.   

Evidence during trial also showed that on two other occasions, Zimmermann took cash from Carlson in exchange for assistance with zoning problems that arose relative to the development of the Somali-American retail mall.  Specifically, on August 15, 2005, Zimmermann and Carlson reviewed proposed sites for the Somali-American mall.  They also discussed zoning matters and the City Council ward in which the proposed development would be located.  Later in the day, on a metro transit train platform in Minneapolis, Zimmermann was videotaped accepting four envelopes from Carlson.  Those envelopes contained a total of $1,200 in cash.  Finally, Zimmermann was videotaped on August 31, 2005, accepting $1,000 from Carlson.  That exchange occurred at Zimmermann’s Minneapolis residence.

Zimmermann is the third Minneapolis City Council member to be convicted of taking money or favors from constituents in the past five years.  Brian Herron was sentenced in February of 2002  to one year in federal prison for extorting money from a grocer who had inspection matters pending

before the city.  And Joe Biernat was sentenced in April of 2003 to twenty-one months in federal prison for accepting free plumbing and remodeling work at a rental property he owned in exchange for his assistance on issues before the city.